Queen of the Seas
by SadieMacoy
Summary: This is the story of a courageous raccoon by the name of Henriette Cooper. A story of love for the sea, and love for the crew. Someone in particular, perhaps. Along the way to impress her incredible bloodline, Henriette finds there's more to life than sailing.
1. Prologue

Queen of the Seas

Prologue

Young Henriette was forced to hide as angry pirates stepped off their ship, scowling and swearing at each other. "Ai, yee be acting like a lady if I didn't know better, Petey!" A dog growled to his shipmate.

"Oh you think so, Blubber?" Petey responded as they walked by Henriette's hiding spot.

"Ai," was the answer.

"I be havin' an idea or two with my musket here, lad, shut yer yap." Petey ended the conversation and Henriette stayed were she was until the silence became her friend.

When she crept out from behind the whiskey barrels, the wooden plank stood before her-The pirate ship only steps away. Henriette took a deep breath and stepped forward, one foot in front of the other.

"HENRIETTE COOPER, What on earth do you think you're doing?!" Suddenly, Rioichi was behind Henriette, pulling on her arms and making her come back.

"But pa, I am tired of being the only 'coon who doesn't know how to sail!" Henriette defended herself.

Rioichi grabbed his daughter's hand and walked her back to their home, explaining on the way, "Henriette, Dear, I don't want you going out to be exposed to Clockwork, Please, just stay home and let yur pop," Rioichi placed a hand on his chest, "Provide for the family."

"Oiy. It's not fair! I'm plenty old to be out on the seas! You know I can take care of myself, pa." Henriette swished her tail back and forth, annoyed. "I just want to sail, pa. I just want to sail." She looked at her feet, and her voice was sad.

"Henriette," Rioichi tried, but his daughter left him alone and closed the door to her room. "Oh, dear. Henriette!" Rioichi looked around for a minute, and finally made a decision. Quickly, he began digging through his trunk at the foot of his bed. After pulling just about everything out, he was able to open the secret hatch in the bottom. Rioichi looked over his shoulder, checking to see if Henriette had followed him, and then he pulled out a small Cooper cane styled dagger.

Rioichi knocked on Henriette's door, standing quietly with his hood down. "What do you want?" Henriette's angry voice echoed through the door.

"Henriette, please open the door."

"No."

"Henriette. Open the door." Rioichi tried again.

"No."

Rioichi leaned on the door and sighed. His daughter was not going to come out, so Rioichi put the dagger-cane in front of her door with the Cooper symbol on top. "Goodnight, Henriette." He whispered and pulled his hood over the top of his head.

Rioichi paced back and forth a little, before grabbing his Cooper Sais and heading out the door. Once outside, he wished his daughter had more appreciation for her protection, but he could only wish for now.

Rioichi pushed into a huge jump, soaring off their elevated home and falling gracefully towards the town below. The lamp posts were lined up just well enough that Rioichi had perfected his new move every time he left the house. Easily, Rioichi spun midflight and dropped on top of the lamp post quietly. He flicked his tail and held his Sais gingerly, hopping from one post to another with a graceful sweep every time he landed and took off again.

Rioichi got to the edge of town and looked back at his home, now a simple brown speck on the hill side. When he turned back, metal echoed through the skies, wind was pushing at his face to the beat of wings, and Rioichi knew who it was. "Clockwork!" he yelled, balancing himself against the wind, "Show your self!"

"If you so desire!" a metallic voice hurt his ears, and the giant silhouette pulled himself out of the forest below. One of Clockwork's wings was solid steel, the other flesh and feather. His eyes showed their natural glow, but bits and pieces down his body were metal chunks. One of the Clockworks claws flexed with metal talons, and Rioichi's eyes showed more fear than he liked. "Rioichi Cooper," The voice of Clockwork hovered, "I will end you're bloodline tonight!"

Rioichi snapped back to reality and just as Clockwork dived for him, he jumped up and over the crazy bird, aiming for the forested floor. "Cooper!" The bird cursed and spun around to catch him, but Rioichi was already on the ground, running and weaving through the trees. Up ahead, a clearing poked through the forest and Rioichi wondered if he could make it.

Just as Rioichi reached the clearing, Clockwork bomb dived and flexed his talons for the raccoon running from him. "Die Cooper!"

The metal talon's wrapped around Rioichi's body and he dropped one of his Sais. "Clockwork!" He screamed at the bird as they started heading back towards the Japanese town. Pushing on the talons squishing him, Rioichi raised the one Sais he had and swung at the one flesh leg Clockwork still had, and cut it deep.

Clockwork yelled and tossed his head up into the sky, dropping Rioichi high above the town.

Rioichi flipped around, now heading for the town feet first, aiming for the point of a sign. Clockwork had gathered himself again and was diving after Rioichi, screeching still. He caught a drift of air and pumped his wings furiously after the Cooper. The gust of wind Clockwork's wings provided threw Rioichi off balance and the sign was too close to correct towards.

Rioichi hit the ground with a loud crash, rolling over barrels and smashing boxes. Clockwork slowed, hovering again, above the town. He watched as Rioichi was still for a while. Clockwork landed beside the dying Rioichi and rolled him over with his claws. "The Cooper family has been defeated!" he said triumphantly as Rioichi took his last breath.

Clockwork flew away happily having defeated what he thought, was the last of the Cooper line, but Henriette still lived; a pirate dream in her heart, and revenge for her father's death on her mind.


	2. Chapter 1-Recruited

Chapter 1: Recruited

Henriette Cooper pulled herself aboard her new ship, a small rag carrying everything she needed for the future; A Cooper designed Dagger, her father's Sais and her family's prized possession; The Thievius Raccoonus. She stood in line with other recruits, waiting for instructions to sail, and she took in all that was about to happen: She was finally going to sail with real pirates. She was finally going to get out of the town that she grew up in, and more importantly, the town her father was killed in.

The captain walked up and down the line, while his first mate pulled the plank aboard. "Listen here, Squabblers." The captain, a thick built Pelican, began, "There ain't no need for any babbling little lassies, smart mouth little bees, or Land lovin' dogs on my ship." The captain stopped in front of a short dog standing in line, "Do you fall in any of those groups, bubby?"

The dog shook his head quickly.

"If any of you fall into those groups, I will personally be yer escort off this ship." The Captain continued walking along the line and he slowed to a stop in front of Henriette, "What be yer title, girl?"

"Henriette, sir." Henriette told him, holding her nose high.

"Henriette." The captian repeated, "What makes you think I'd let a ringtail like you be part of my crew?"

Henriette looked him in the eyes' anger starting to burn up inside, " 'Cause, I ain't gonna back down to some full of himself, pompus bird," she spat the word "bird", "Trying to run a ship like you do." Henriette held her gaze until the captian stepped back again.

"Ai!" he yelled to his first mate. "Where'd you get this lass?"

"Oh, uh, her, Captain?" his first mate walked up beside the captain and looked Henriette up and down. "Probably a bar or some other lolly-gaggin' pit," he decided.

"Hmf." The captain looked at Henriette, taking all she had to offer in. "Alright, girl, you can stay." He finally said quietly. Then, louder, he said, "Geet to work, mates! You," he pointed to the short dog he had picked on earlier.

"Lopey, Captian." The dog told him.

"Lopey, my-boy, Start scrubbin'." The captain smiled with yellow teeth.

The whole crew, some new mates and some that had been there a while, burst into action, lowering and adjusting sails, moving and tying ropes. They all had something to do, even Lopey. Henriette watched for a minute, and then she tied her rag to her belt and tucked her dagger in it. "Captain!" Henriette called, and when he turned, she hauled a rope to raise a sail, "Where we be sailing off too?" she asked through gritted teeth.

"Ai, girl," the Captain pulled at a feather stuck to his elaborate coat, "That's for me to know, and for you to find out."

Henriette shook her head as two other men joined her in raising her sail, and the captain walked to his steering wheel at the end of the ship. "Yo-ho, lads, keep on yer toes and don't fall overboard!"

A few men laughed, but most stayed quiet, really afraid of falling over the rails of the ship.

Henriette busied herself for a moment and once the ship was ready, and they began sailing, she stepped to the edge and gazed at the sea, welcoming her in sprays of water. The sun was just rising, turning the water a beautiful orange and the sky was clear. Henriette took one last look at the land behind them, almost wanting to wave to it.

She was finally starting a new life, away from the place that tormented her with its Japanese lanterns and friendly people. Henriette despised it. The little Japanese town her father had loved so much was no place for a pirate. She looked at the town's center, a few family's waving goodbye to her shipmates, but she did not look because of the civilians, she looked instead, at the place she had seen her father last, lifeless.

Henriette shook her head and faced the open sea again, awaiting her new life to sail into a successful one.


	3. Chapter 2-Beginners Luck

Chapter 2: Beginners Luck

The next morning, Henriette awoke in her cot, hanging above another sleeper. She slipped off without making a sound and left the Thievius Raccoonus tucked safely away in her bedding. The Captian and a few other crewmates were already up, So Henriette walked across the deck to find her duties for the day. "Captain," she yawned, standing behind him.

"Oh, finally join the working crew, have you lass?" The captain looked at her with a smile on his face.

"Ai, Not a pretty crew, however," Henriette responded.

The captain looked at the others and nodded, "You'd be correct thar," He pulled a spyglass out of his coat pocket and handed it to her, "Hold that," he leaned and tucked his pantleg back in his boot, "Lass, you have potential here," he complimented, "But you're also a hothead, full of yerself. Don't get carried away thar."

"Yes sir." Henriette wiped her hands on her pants and stood straighter, "Captain, What duties have I been assigned?"

"That's better, Lass." The captain took his spyglass back and adjusted one of the lens by looking through it to his left. He dropped the spyglass, then looked again, "OIY!" he yelled up to his first mate, "Wake the crew! We got a merchant ship coming upon us, we be eating good tonight!"

Henriette looked off in the distance he claimed the ship was in, but it was too far off for her to see it. "Captain, What should I be…"

The captain stared at her, amused, "Lass, if you can't handle it, we'll drop you off at Blood Bath and just be on our way."

"No sir, I can handle it."

"Then, it's not that hard." The captain turned her around and pointed out to the ship coming into view, "Don't geet hit with any cannons, don't get stabbed by any swordsman, and don't pee yerself," The captain looked at Henriette to see if she was listening.

"Yer just being a bugger, now, Captain. I got it." Henriette watched the ship approach little by little. It took a painfully long time, so she turned and watched the pirate flag flap in the wind.

Cannon fire made her yelp and turn back to the ocean, it was her ship that had fired, and the first hit was a miss. The captain began yelling, "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't know I recruited a bunch of blind bellows! Hit the ship, for heaven's sake, hit the ship!"

Another shot was loaded just as the merchant ship fired, and a crewmate screamed, "HIT THE DECK!"

The cannonball flew and crashed on the far side of ship, taking half the railing off, and the captain only yelled louder, "FIRE!"

Another miss, "What glory blazing cutter is firing my cannon!" the captain started running towards their first cannon but Henriette was there first.

"Move!" she pushed her crewmate aside as the cannon was loaded. The ship was in clear site now, and Henriette knew her aim would not miss. She tilted the cannon, held the fire to its fuse and stepped back. The cannon exploded in smoke as the cannonball left it's barrel. The whole crew, except for three men reloading it, watched the cannonball soar, and hit the portside of the merchant ships.

"There ya go!" the captain praised her.

The merchant ship was now closer than ever and crewmates began climbing the ships ropes. Henriette looked up, back at the merchant vessal, and followed her crew upward with her Cooper dagger in her mouth. When Henriette reached the top, she saw the crew of the other ship ascending too.

"Ai, Hold it crew, Wait for it, wait for it!" the half of the crew up above all waited, holding ropes and ready to swing to the other ship. The captain's voice got quieter, "Wait for it," Then he pointed to his first mate, "Now!" Suddenly the ship lurched and nearly crashed into the other as crewmates swung across the gap.

Henriette had to catch herself from falling off the bow, but then she followed her mates in a swing that made her stomach curl. She flew across the gap, a far drop into water if she missed the merchant ship. Henriette dropped, reaching out with her cane for the sail of the ship, and dragging the gold through the material as she plummeted.

The cane caught on another rope as she reached the bottom and she swung around the sail, and right into a big ol' Rhino with a bandana around his head. The rhino yelled and toppled under her sudden weight.

When she sat up, the rhino was glaring at her angrily, "Little Wench!" he hollered and swung his sword at Henriette's head.

Henriette ducked quickly and jumped back, barely saving her nose. "Excuse me?" She counter-swung and stopped his sword with her small dagger, "I am no wench!" she told him.

The whole crew was in their own battles. Now there was a plank connecting the ships, and ropes were being thrown across with anchors tied to them. By now, the pirates had invaded the merchant ship, and they were easily winning.

Henriette swung once more, pulling away from her attacker and leaping behind him. Her dagger caught on the collar of his shirt, and Henriette pulled tight until he was struggling for air. She looked up to see her own captain walking smoothly and calmy between fighting pairs, towards closed doors.

She watched her captain break open the doors and heard squeamish squeals from inside, "Ai, sir, Take what you wish!" A voice that could only be the other captain.

"Yer as pathetic as a school lass!" Henriette's captain answered and kicked his opponent out the door. "Ya see my crew here?" he gestured to the silent groups of people, Every pirate crew member having a merchant sailor in some sort of grip, "I give the word, and CUUUEET," the captain made a slashing sound as he pulled his finger along his neck, showing nothing but death for the sailors.

"Ai, no sir! Spare the crew! Take anytheen you want, but leave the crew be!"

Henriette's captain smiled and leaned down, "Anytheen, you say?"

The last Henriette saw of that merchant group of sailors was their ship sinkin' to the bottom of the ocean, and the saps all squished into one rowboat. Henriette ran her fingers along the seam of her new trench coat.

"Ai, mighty fine job ya did on that vessal, lass." The captain was standing beside Henriette, watching the last of the ship sink, "We might make a pirate out of ya yet!" He was draped in a velvety coat and had fancy new boots from the ship, as well as a good handful of gold and silver trinkets.

"Ai, Captain, That's what I was aimin' at."


	4. Chapter 3-Count Yer Losses

Chapter 3: Count Yer Losses

Henriette grinned wickedly and pulled her trench coat around her body for warmth in the evergrowing, cold night. The silky material smelled of smoke and whiskey. More than likely a bar-visiter wore this coat.

That captain sat patiently at the broken railing of his ship, awaiting it to fix itself. Henriette watched for a minute, and joined him. "Aiy, is the damage werth fixin', Captain?" she asked, taking a seat next to him.

At first it seemed as if he didn't hear her, but he glanced her way, "I don't think there is anything this ship can't take," he stroked the wood railing until he found the splintered edge, "We'll have her good 'n fixed by the week's end. Once we stop, My baby will have no issue thar."

Henriette didn't ask why he called his ship "baby"so she cleared her throat, "Be that, Are we to stop soon then, sir?" she asked instead.

The captain turned to her, letting the sea spray for a while, keeping the silence filled with watery sounds. "Lass, We-," The captain stopped as a few crewmates started yelling from the other end of the ship. "We need to stop a drunkard from getting' himself killed."

The captain stood up and Henriette followed closely. As they got closer to the fight, they found out how ridiculous it was. And how little sense it made;

"Oiy, Grandy! We neva wanted yer slick coat here on thee," the first fighter hiccupped, "Thee ship!" he finished triumphantly.

The second was shaking his fist angrily, "My coat? You be talking heavy on my coat?"

"Aiy, That I have been!"

The second man didn't speak his response, instead, he pulled out a knife and walked around his disoriented opponent. Henriette saw how drunk they both were, and wanted to take the knife away immedietly, she slowly stepped forward, but the captain stopped her as the two kept talking. By now the whole crew had come to watch.

"I bet the lasses fall for you when they be pumped fulla' whiskeys!" the first hissed in his drunken cat-like way.

"The lasses love meh!" the second defended, holding the knife up to aim.

"Aiy, when they be drunker then," another hiccup, "drunker then a," three more, "You." He finished

That must a pushed him over the top, because in his disoriented way, the second threw his knife way off course. The captain tapped Henriette's shoulder in warning, so she turned to see what he wanted. His concerned face made her turn back.

Everything slowed just enough for Henriette to see it coming, but not enough to give her time to move. The knife, reflecting the silver moonlight, flew across the deck and smashed it's blade in Henriette's right eye.

Henriette dropped to her knees, trying to scream in pain, but her voice was silent as she cried out. She heard angered voices growl at each other for a moment before she collapsed in her own pool of blood, with two hands cupped over her eye.

Henriette woke enough to hear everything around her, to feel the bright sun glinting through the window, but she was still stuck between sleep and a full awake state. In and out of it for a few days, never opening her eyes. When she finally came to long enough to make a noise, A badger was beside her in a split second, "You're lucky lass, only a small loss for what coulda happened."

Henriette didn't understand. She opened one eye and tried to focus on the ceiling abover her, when she tried to open the other, pain shot through her face and her hands flew to her head. She couldn't see the badger as she felt across her eye, a leather patch was there instead of soft fur. As her hands pulled down slowly, she felt dried blood in her fur just below her eye.

The badger tried to calm her in such a panicked motive, "Aiy, It looks good lass! It really does…" he tried so hard.

Soon the captain stumbled in and pinned Henriette's shoulders to her side, "Lassy! Don't be a crazy 'coon on me! Calm yourself missy!" he was yelling at first, but his voice got softer when Henriette started to calm down. "Cooper?" he asked after she fell silent.

She didn't make a peep, in fear of being shaken again, but she could only see half of the captain unless she turned her head, so she nodded, closing the other eye. "Lass? Do you understand your preh-dicka-mint?" he asked. When Henriette didn't answer, the Captain explained further, "Cooper, you've lost your eye."


	5. Chapter 4: Learning

Chapter 4: Learning

Henriette went hysterical all over again, quietly at first, but then she growled and flicked her ears uncontrollably. The captain pulled her coat over to her and let her wrap herself up. "Lass, you're lucky to be alive. That pointy coulda taken your life," he added, which only made it worse for Henriette.

After a while, he gave up and left her alone on a medical cot. When he was almost out of the door, Henriette wanted to say something, but she couldn't find the words, she stuttered slowly, "Long…How long…Sleeping?" she asked shakily.

"Four days, lass," the captain understood, answered and left. At his request, the medic finally left too, leaving Henriette to get used to her limited vision for a couple hours. Her twitching stopped, her breath evened itself out again and she started looking around, trying to see her new view. The eyepatch they had given her was big and bulky, it scratched at her nose with its rough edges so Henriette didn't turn her head too much.

After a while, she swung her legs over the edge of the cot and looked down at the floor. It looked so far away. Henriette held her breath and reached down with her foot nervously. The floor wasn't SO far away, so Henriette place both feet flat on the hardwood. More timing, but she finally pushed off the cot and took a single wobbly step.

Then another.

Then another.

Each step was a teetering ride, and each step she had to pause to get her bearings, but she did it. She walked all the way to the door. She turned around and grasped the knob so hard her knuckles pulsed. Then, slowly, she walked back. There was less time between each step every time she walked. From the cot to the door. Door to cot. Back and forth until she walked in a straight line with no pausing. The ships constant moving made it a little hard, but she adjusted.

After 2 hours of walking, Henriette looked at the table with the bloody bandages still balled up on it. The blood was almost enough to make her sit back down, but Henriette focused on something else on the table. Her Cane-shaped dagger. With now easy steps, she moved to the table, picked up her dagger and tucked it in her belt on the right side. A minute of thinking and she pulled it out again and put it in the left side where she could see it better.

Henriette turned and stepped to the door, when she pulled it open slowly, the activity outside hushed and the crew watched her walk. Even though pain was sticking to her face, Henriette put on a brave face and grinned, "What'd you expect, kelps? I'd wallow about and let you have all the fun?"

Instantly the crew brightened up and Henriette was given a pat on the back. In the midst of the celebration, the captain found her and made his way to her side, "Aiy lass, How was your second day of sailing the seas?"

The crew pitched in, "and the third?"

"And the fourth?

"And the rest of the days spent sleeping like-a bum?"

"Alright alright, don't get yer heads in the skies, lads," Henriette laughed and looked around, taking in the crew with her good eye, "My days were spent in luxury, although when I was awake you muggers kept the days lively!"

The whole crew shouted and smiled and laughed. They hadn't expected her to bounce back so soon, and to be friendly about it. The lad who owned the knife came to her side with his hat wringed out in his palms, "I hope you can take having a brute amongst us," he said in his own way of apologizing.

"Aiy lad, don't cry on me now!" Henriette lightened the mood again by forgiving him.

"One thing's for sure, pigs," The captain announced loudly over the cheers, "The spitfires on Kaine Archi-whateva,"

A crewmate helped him, "Archipegalo, Captain,"

The captain pointed, thanking the man, "Yes, that! They will surely enjoy this story!"

Henriette's ears flicked forward. "Captain, did you say Kaine?"

The captain nodded and Henriette smiled, thinking to herself, 'We're on course to the Cooper vault,'


End file.
